Old Rip bottle change?

[silverfish]

Can anyone tell me when (& why?) Old Rip switched from the older

tall "Pappy" bottle shown on the left to the newer "squat" bottle?

[birdman1099]

I believe the taller one on the left was the export edition. Probably 700ml

[nor02lei]

I believe the taller one on the left was the export edition. Probably 700ml

Yes that’s perfectly right Scott. Both have been available here, but the squat was sold out years ago and the other is almost impossible to find anymore as well.

Leif

[silverfish]

I believe the taller one on the left was the export edition. Probably 700ml

That explains why I saw it listed on a UK website. I thought maybe it

was an earlier version that preceded a switch to the shorter bottle.

Thanks.

[dmarkle]

I believe the taller one on the left was the export edition. Probably 700ml

Guess you can cram a lot more thin, uniform bottles in a small box for export...

[Beer&Bourbon]

I'm glad to hear that this isn't a change to the tall bottles. I really like the look of the squat old bottles with the old school label. The antique label doesn't work as well on the tall new looking bottle.

[cowdery]

The squat bottle is called a "barrel bottle" and was the trademark of the Van Winkle family's Stitzel-Weller Distillery. Every Stitzel-Weller brand used it and that was one of the ways you knew it was Stitzel-Weller. When the family sold the distillery but retained the Old Rip brand name, and JPVW Jr. began his bottling operation at the old Hoffman Distillery, he adopted the barrel bottle. His son, JPVW III, kept the barrel bottle but also added a tall bottle, more like a wine bottle. That bottle is the exception, the barrel bottle is the rule.

[nor02lei]

The squat bottle is called a "barrel bottle" and was the trademark of the Van Winkle family's Stitzel-Weller Distillery. Every Stitzel-Weller brand used it and that was one of the ways you knew it was Stitzel-Weller. When the family sold the distillery but retained the Old Rip brand name, and JPVW Jr. began his bottling operation at the old Hoffman Distillery, he adopted the barrel bottle. His son, JPVW III, kept the barrel bottle but also added a tall bottle, more like a wine bottle. That bottle is the exception, the barrel bottle is the rule.

I like the barrel bottle better as it's a screw cap on it.

Leif

[Medicfrost]

I prefer the barrel bottle also. What is the story with that label on the barrel bottle in the picture? Is that an older style label, or are they changing the current label?

[trumpstylz]

I like the barrel bottle better as it's a screw cap on it.

Leif

Just out of curiosity, why is a screw cap superior to a corked one?

[flintlock]

I prefer the barrel bottle also. What is the story with that label on the barrel bottle in the picture? Is that an older style label, or are they changing the current label?

And how. The greatest packaging in all of bourbondom, if I may be so bold - along with the original paper label OWA...

Just out of curiosity, why is a screw cap superior to a corked one?

Cork can in a few instances be a liability after several years. Stuck corks, broken corks, corks tainting the whiskey...although I've got some dusties where the plastic screw cap is heavily oxidized and rather fragile, they're more dependable than corks.

[cowdery]

The only way corks are superior to screw caps is that people think they are classy. For everything a closure is supposed to do, screw caps are superior.

The current issue of Whisky Magazine has a Van Winkle ad on the inside front cover. It shows the traditional bottle and label for the two Old Rip expressions. It also shows Pappy 15 and 20 in the wine bottle and also Lot B and VWFRR in the wine bottle. I always check the ads because that tells me what Van Winkle considers to be in current release (notwithstanding scarcity).

[nblair]

I prefer the barrel bottle also. What is the story with that label on the barrel bottle in the picture? Is that an older style label, or are they changing the current label?

I believe that is the standard 90 Proof label. The 90 Proof and 107 Proof expressions have different labels.

[Medicfrost]

I believe that is the standard 90 Proof label. The 90 Proof and 107 Proof expressions have different labels.

You're right. I've always passed up the 90 proof.

[squire]

Agree on the label and when I have a choice I prefer the 45% expression.

[tommyboy38]

As I drive a pick up, I prefer the square bottle Van Winkle.